Chess Pie Recipe

The Man transferred our wedding video from VHS to DVD this week. I loved watching it, but it always makes me miss my Mom and Gigee (my maternal grandma) terribly. So I did what I usually do in that situation: I baked pie. I don’t bake often, but I’m pretty good with pies.

Gigee gave me the Owen County Extension Homemakers recipe book from 1978 right after I got married. It’s falling to pieces and covered in food stains, but when we were living in Japan and I was horribly homesick, it was a lifesaver. I’m pretty sure not a single recipe in the entire thing would be approved by Tony Horton, Weight Watchers or the people who made the Food Pyramid. Thus, most of them are seriously delicious.

I just downloaded Gail Carriger’s Soulless for my Kindle (I’ll probably review it later). Aside from nostalgia prompting a baking fit, all that talk of treacle tart made me incredibly hungry, so I decided to make Chess Pie. Not being remotely British, I have no idea what treacle tart is, but it generally sounds like Chess Pie to a Bluegrass Hoosier like me. I’m guessing mostly sugar and eggs.

Here’s the recipe for Kentucky Chess Pie. Imagine, essentially, a pecan pie without those pesky pecans getting in the way. The sugar and eggs sort of crystallize on the top, making a crunchy layer above the gooey custard layer.

I am ECSTATIC to find this recipe. My mom used to make this pie and I always thought it was heaven on a plate. Soooo bad for you, but so amazingly delicious. After she passed away I was afraid it was gone forever. I had found recipes before calling itself “chess” but they had lemon or chocolate in them. I’m sure they’re nice, but they aren’t what I had as a kid. This is the first time I have seen it called “Kentucky Chess” which makes it all the more wonderful since that’s where I’m from.